Resistance bands have an impressive elevator pitch. These versatile training tools are capable of upgrading your warm-ups, workouts and even injury rehab efforts. They can easily be thrown into any gym bag, plus you rarely have to pay over the odds for a full set.
For these reasons and more, I think owning a few is a must for gym-goers and home workout heroes alike. But which ones should you buy?
This is where things get a little tricky, because there are a few different types of resistance bands available. These include long looped resistance bands (my personal favourite), short looped (or booty) bands, tube bands with handles and therapy bands.
Each one has pros and cons, so to help you choose I’ve tried and tested a selection of the best below, bringing you a full rundown of why you should (or shouldn’t) add them to your workout armoury. Read on to find the right set for you.
How I tested the best resistance bands
I tested each resistance band in this roundup (and a few beside, which didn’t make the cut) by incorporating them into my warm-ups and workouts.
The way they were used varied depending on the type of band – tube bands with handles were mainly used for strength and muscle-building work, as were long looped bands. The latter also came in handy for assisted pull-ups, therapy bands were a good fit for yoga and Pilates, and short looped bands helped me hit my glutes and hip flexors sans-gym. Some sets also contained multiple types of band.
Each entry in this listwas judged on the same strengths; versatility, quality and comfort. This left me with a list of resistance bands capable of improving your training. Read on for the best for every need and workout style.
The best resistance bands for 2024 are:
TRX bandit kit
These resistance bands from TRX, which is known for its suspension trainers, are high quality and come in a variety of resistances. Included in this versatile kit are four long looped bands – two each of the blue (2-7kg) and green (7-14kg) – along with two ergonomic handles that you can slide the bands into.
The handles make the bands easier and more comfortable to use for certain moves as they stop them digging into your hands, and the rubber handle covers provide good grip, even when you’re sweaty. The handles and bands are light, making them ideal for travelling, and you can pop two bands into the handles to up the resistance.
Buy now £49.95, Trxtraining.co.uk
P.volve p.3 trainer
This is a clever set consisting of two ankle straps, one short tube band, one long tubed band, a handle and a 1.5lb ball. You attach the band to the ankle strap at one end with a carabiner, then the other end has a handle. The ball can be used as an independent weight, but can also attach to the end of the band so you end up with both resistance and weight.
This set is designed to be used with the P.volve app, which is a favourite of Jennifer Aniston. The app provides workouts focussing on strength and function. I liked the emphasis on low-impact, functional movement, with classes ranging from 20-minute core and arm sessions to a 60-minute full body sculpt.
The only slight faff is that you have to unhook the strap to swap it to the opposite leg when you work the other side of the body, but this only takes a few seconds.
Buy now £96.49, Healf.com
FitBeast pull-up bands set
I bought this pull-up band set years ago, and I haven’t felt the need to invest in another one since. It comes with five bands with different thicknesses and, consequently, resistances. There is also a travel bag, door anchor and a couple of velcro handles to make the bands more comfortable to hold during certain exercises.
The bands are well-made and worked brilliantly for assisted pull-ups – clove hitch one end over a pull-up bar, place your foot in the other end, and away you go. I’ve also taken the bands on several holidays, and they’ve allowed me to hit strength training sessions everywhere from a Portuguese plaza to Yosemite National Park.
The range of resistances should suit all fitness levels (seriously strong customers can always double up if they want more of a challenge) and the door anchor allows you to jam the bands in a door and perform pulling exercises like face pulls and seated rows.
Buy now £31.99, Amazon.co.uk
La Pochette resistance band, medium
This addition from La Pochette is a short looped band for lower body exercises that’s made of stretchy, breathable fabric rather than latex. It’s wide, making it very comfortable around the legs with no cutting or digging in, and it has an inner grip to stop it sliding down.
It’s extremely durable and feels extremely safe to use, with no concerns that it will snap. It can be hand washed, and is also available in heavy and light.
La Pochette’s accessories are also great for travelling with and they’re all designed to fit together so you can build a full workout set for use on the go.
Buy now £15.00, Lapochette.co
Enertor exercise resistance bands
This is a cheap, simple and well-made set of short looped bands that provides a spectrum of resistance options to help you progress as you get stronger, or to help you use different bands for different muscle groups.
Included is a green (extra light: 5-10lb), blue (light: 10-1lb), yellow (medium: 15-20lb), red (heavy: 25-30lb), and black (extra-heavy: 35-40lb) band – plus, they all come in a small bag to help with transport, and storage. They’re super light, so great for travelling, and the website has some helpful videos on how runners can use the brand after injuries.
Buy now £12.99, Enertor.com
Umi resistance band
These long looped bands are available in various resistances: extra light (6.7-13kg), light (18-31kg), medium (27-45kg), strong (31-54kg) and strongest (36-67kg). This set of bands is the strongest, and perfect for assisted pull-ups to help you build up to doing a full, unassisted pull-up.
Loop your chosen band around a pull-up bar and thread it through itself, and you can place either your knee or foot into the bottom of the loop to help you lift your chin over the bar. It is a heavy-duty, wide, long and strong band, and made pull-ups easier without propelling us too swiftly.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon.co.uk
Les Mills + Smartband
Les Mills On Demand classes were a go-to in lockdown and remain popular with those who still prefer working out at home. This resistance band is part of its home exercise equipment range and you can use it throughout the online classes, or just for your own workouts.
It’s a well made piece of kit – the band itself is strong, durable and a nice width (it’s flat rather than tubed), and the comfortable handles are attached with strong webbing. There is a band with stronger resistance (SmartBand extreme) but this option suffices for both beginner and intermediate levels.
Buy now £35.00, Lesmills.com
Meglio latex-free resistance bands rolls 23m
Meglio offers rolls of resistance therapy bands with five different levels of resistance, from extra light to extra heavy. You can cut it to your preferred length and then tie it into a loop, onto a door handle or just wrap either end around your hands.
These bands are used within NHS physio departments and are great for rehab exercises or if you’re a personal trainer who wants to give bands to clients for specific moves. If you’re sensitive to latex, they’re latex-free, and recyclable at the end of their life.
Buy now £29.99, Mymeglio.com
Onyx resistance bands
A set of three with varying levels of difficulty, these super soft bands are ideal for working out at home. A jump between the resistance of each means you can work your way up from easier movements to more challenging ones, building tone and working various muscle groups as you get stronger. This really helps with progression and will mean you’re less likely to plateau.
The soft material means no chafing and no clammy feeling, especially if your legs or hands are sweaty. There are also clever anti-slip silicone dots inside each band to keep them in place as you move.
As with all of Onyx’s products, these resistance bands also look the part. They come in a range of colours and are a hit with those who care about form just as much as function.
Buy now £24.99, Onyx-fitness.com
Resistance bands FAQs
Are resistance bands effective?
“They’re unbelievably effective,” Kira Mahal, founder of MotivatePT tells me. “They’re our favourite piece of equipment and the first one we always tell our personal training clients to buy. They allow you to easily progress compound exercises so they’re brilliant once you have passed the beginner stage.
“For example, once you’ve mastered the squat, you can progress it by adding a resistance band then playing with the intensity,” Mahal adds. “They are also incredibly effective for improving balance – we use them a lot with beginners who don’t have great core strength, senior clients and pregnancy clients who struggle with balance as their belly grows.”
When would you choose resistance bands over weights?
“We would choose them over weights in many instances,” Mahal says. “They’re great for warming up and for targeting small muscle groups for rehab clients, and we love them for our pregnancy clients as there is far less risk of injury. They really allow you to hone in on smaller areas of the body without letting dominant muscle groups, such as your quads, take over.”
What types of resistance bands are there and how do you use them?
Resistance bands can be flat or tubed, come open or in a loop, and are made from various types of stretchy material. They come in different levels of resistance, so choose one that suits your level of strength and what you’re using them for – they’re graded either by weight or levels of resistance, such as extra light to heavy. Sets with a range of weights are ideal as you can either progress the resistance you’re using or use different bands for different moves (for example, the larger muscles in your legs can usually handle heavier loads than your upper body).
Resistance bands are very versatile. Long looped bands can be stepped on and used for upper body work – for example, lifting it upwards in a bicep curl. Shorter loops tend to be used more for lower body work, such as having it around your thighs in a squat position and taking small steps to the side to work against the resistance, but can also be used for upper body. YouTube is a great resource for resistance band exercise inspiration.
The Verdict:
The TRX bandit kit is well-made and offers a wide range of resistance options since you can easily double up the bands inside the handles that come with it. The lightweight set also travels well, which is great for keeping up your fitness regime when you’re on holiday.
The Enertor set is a good place to start if you want to see how you get on with resistance band work without investing a lot of cash at first. It’s also a top option if you just want to add in some warm-up or strength work before your usual exercise of choice, such as running or cycling.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on sports equipment and accessories, try the links below:
Read more: 14 best exercise bikes for hitting your fitness goals at home
